the minimum viable package
Every digital product download should include three things: the files themselves, a README, and a licence notice. Anything less results in confused buyers and support emails that take more time than the sale was worth.
the readme structure
- What's included — list every file and its purpose
- Quick start — 3–5 steps to get immediate value
- Prerequisites — what they need before they can use it
- Support contact — where to go if something doesn't work
for code-based products
Include inline comments in every file. A buyer who can understand what each section does is far more likely to leave a positive review and recommend the product. Comment the variables they'll need to change, not the obvious logic.
naming conventions
Name files descriptively, not generically. free-shipping-progress.liquid is better than snippet-1.liquid. Group related files into folders. Use a consistent naming scheme throughout the package.
versioning
Include a version number in your README (e.g., v1.0). When you update the product, increment the version and note what changed. Buyers who re-download appreciate the changelog, and it reduces "this doesn't match the description" reviews.